ROD THOMPSON / RTHOMPSON@STARBULLETIN.COM Friends of Big Island shooting victim Tyrone Torres, 21, have placed this cross bearing his name at the backwoods site in Nanawale Estates where he was killed Sunday. CLICK FOR LARGE

Big Island teen may get adult murder charge

HILO » A teenager may face murder charges as an adult for the shooting death of Big Island resident Tyrone Torres, who was killed after leaving a party with the suspect's girlfriend, according to the victim's friends.

Family Court Judge Terence Yoshioka ruled yesterday that two studies must be done before a ruling can be made on whether to try Malaki McBride, 17, as an adult for the alleged murder.

Yoshioka set April 25 as the next hearing date.

Police have charged McBride with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony, second-degree arson and auto theft in the crime early Sunday.

Police released Torres' name yesterday, saying an autopsy showed the cause of death as a single shotgun wound to the head.

Because McBride is a minor, police did not release his name, but friends identified him.

Torres' friend Ashton Castro told the Star-Bulletin he had known the victim since the fourth grade at Pahoa Elementary School. "He used to practically live with us," Castro said.

Although Castro wasn't present at the shooting, he said numerous friends who were had called him Sunday morning.

McBride had a long relationship with a young woman, but at the party in the Kapoho area the woman struck up a conversation with Torres, and the two left together, Castro said.

Torres had his own girlfriend, who is two months away from giving birth to their child, Castro said.

McBride found Torres and the young woman at a forested, undeveloped spot at the back of Nanawale Estates subdivision, Castro said, citing his friends' accounts.

He said friends told him McBride's girlfriend returned to the party and said that McBride had shot Torres.

Police found Torres' burned car with his badly burned body miles away at Waa Waa. Police arrested McBride on Sunday night.

Yesterday's hearing was to consider a prosecution request to try McBride as an adult.

McBride, who is being held on Oahu, was allowed to attend the hearing via videoconference.

Torres' mother, angered by the delay until April, exclaimed outside the court, "The boy stayed at my f---in' house and ate my food with my son."